Flexeril as a treatment for whiplash injuries

If you talk to someone in the insurance industry, they will try to tell you there’s no such thing as whiplash. This is nothing more than a scam invented by people to claim injuries and get higher amounts of compensation. Ask the same question of a doctor and you will hear that, in about half the cases, people recover from whiplash injuries quite quickly - in a few weeks or a month or so at most. The next forty percent can still have pain and discomfort for a year and more. The remaining ten percent can have pain for the rest of their lives.

These injuries arise in a number of different situations. Most commonly, they come from traffic accidents where a vehicle collides with yours from the rear. But it can also come from any jerking movement of the head in relation to the body, i.e. from a fall, a blow to the head or the movements you sometimes experience on an amusement park ride. Injury is caused when the neck suddenly straightens and then bends more than usual in any direction. This strains the muscles, ligaments and joints. The question always asked by skeptical insurance companies and their attorneys is how a sometimes trivial accident can cause chronic pain that interferes with the ordinary quality of life. They correctly point out there’s often no evidence for the majority of claimed injuries. Whiplash does not show up on MRI or other imaging scans because the injury affects the muscles, tendons and soft tissue, and does not necessarily displace or damage any of the bones in the neck or spine. Those who specialize in the mechanics of accidents then come into court and give evidence showing how low speeds in a traffic accident actually inflict serious amounts of force to the bodies inside the car. Juries then make up their minds knowing of the reported cases in which fraud has been proved. As the technology in imaging scanners improves, there may be more conclusive evidence of soft tissue injury.

Until then, doctors must treat the patients as honest citizens and offer treatment for their claimed injuries. The first change is that, in the majority of cases, doctors no longer give out the bulky collars to hold the neck steady. Ice packs, painkillers and anti-inflammatories reduce the pain and swelling. Antidepressants can also be prescribed. The best approach is to begin gentle stretching exercising as early as possible. Physical therapy combined with the use of muscle relaxants like Flexeril help the relaxation of muscles and the mobility of joints. The aim is to build up the strength of the muscles to take some of the strain off the vertebrae and the disks that separate them. With a slowly building exercise regime, the body overcomes the natural stiffness following an accident. Subconsciously, we feel we should hold our head still to prevent further injury. In fact, we recover more quickly by moving. In this, flexeril makes a vital contribution by relaxing the muscles and reducing the risk of spasms. Alongside physical therapy and the use of flexeril, you can also consider massage to consolidate the relief of muscle tension and encourage a more general feeling of relaxation. In all of this, be guided by your doctors to make the fastest possible recovery.